1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to guards to prevent clogging of gutters and, more particularly, to an inherently low-cost, durable and retrofit gutter guard that drains off the rain water by capillary action, such that leaves, twigs or foreign matter will not enter into and clog the gutter.
2. Description of the Background
Gutters which are currently available on the market, and which are widely used by the homeowner, must be cleaned periodically. The cleaning should occur at least once a year to remove foreign matter from the gutters and, if the house is located on a wooded lot, several times a year as necessary. The foreign matter commonly includes leaves, twigs, acorns, insects, vermin, bird nests, and even pieces of deteriorating roof shingles. However, cleaning such gutters is a time-consuming and laborious task. It can also be quite dangerous, depending upon the height and pitch of the roof.
There have been many previous efforts to develop gutters or guards therefor which prevent clogging and eliminate the need to periodically clean. For instance, wire screens or meshes are commonly wedged or otherwise fitted within the gutters and across the top thereof so as to filter out the foreign matter from entering into the gutter. However, these wire screens also become clogged and are easily dislodged and damaged. Additionally, the openings within the screens are relatively large to collect the water flowing off the roof. Therefore, the screens are not completely satisfactory.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,448 issued to Smith shows a gutter system and a method of manufacture thereof that allows water to flow off the roof and into the gutter by capillary action, yet precludes foreign matter from entering into the gutter, thereby preventing the gutter from becoming clogged, and providing a substantially maintenance-free gutter system for the eves of a home or other structure. Although the gutter is relatively easy to install, durable, and is substantially maintenance free, it is a stand-alone gutter system and cannot be retrofit or used in conjunction with existing gutters. It is not economically practical in all situations to completely replace an existing gutter system.
It would be greatly advantageous to provide a capillary-flow gutter guard with the benefits described above and which can be applied as a retrofit guard to an existing gutter system.